The Holly & The Ivy
by Carol's Warrior Bitches
Summary: Set a few years after Daryl, having escaped the prison with baby Judith, reunites with Carol and makes a life for all three of them. It's Christmas and the season brings with it a wee bit of angst, a lot of fluffy feels and of course, a good helping of Caryl smut.
1. Chapter 1

_Welcome to the first-ever collaborative story presented to you by the Twitter foursome known as __**Carol's Warrior Bitches**__. As the name might suggest, we are Team Carol all the way, and we ship the fuck out of Caryl. This tale sprung out of an online story spinning session (we have SO much fun!). You don't like the pairing of Daryl/Carol...well, that's your choice, but please go read something else. _

_The title is not only reflective of the Christmas theme of the story, but holly & ivy seem to be a good representation of Daryl and Carol respectively. There's all sorts of stuff written about holly being masculine and ivy being more feminine, but think of them intertwined, each lending its attributes to the other and making the other stronger. Yeah, that's Caryl all over._

_Anyhoo...enough symbolism, etc. This really is just a very sweet, fluffy story (although rated M for inevitable Caryl smut). Hope you like and if you do, pass it on!_

_PS: The avatar for this story was created by **Nutty McNut** - you have seen her work a lot of different places, and often uncredited or outright 'stolen' by others. She is the original, though, and her work is sublime. Go check her out on Tumblr, her talent knows no bounds!_

* * *

**Chapter 1**

Daryl trudged through the trees as the storm gathered strength, the sharp pellets of freezing rain stinging his cheeks as he squinted and tried to pick out the slightly blacker outline of the cabin against the greenish darkness of the surrounding forest. He was late getting back, far later than was smart – getting caught in a blizzard once night fell could be a death sentence, even for someone who'd spent half of his life wandering through the wilderness. Way too easy to get turned around when the stars were blotted out by clouds and all the landmarks disappeared in whirling sheets of white.

Winter in Tennessee's Great Smoky Mountains was what some might call a mixed blessing. It was rare to see any walkers and the few that somehow found their way up the alpine trails moved very slowly in the cold and were easy to put down. The small cottage was also remote enough that no living person had bothered to scale the rocky terrain, at least not so far, and so there was no threat so far as territory went. But food was damned scarce once the snow began to fly, and there wasn't much daylight left for hunting the rabbits, squirrels and other game necessary for survival. Add to that the fact that every once in a while the world would be almost wiped clean by a storm like the one that was closing in around him now...and so, yeah. Mixed fuckin' blessing, alright.

The wind suddenly whipped through the pines, making his ears ache and tossing his hair around his eyes. Daryl impatiently shoved his long bangs back under his knit cap and stepped up his pace. The sled he pulled behind him, heavy with the carcass of a field-dressed buck, snagged once or twice on the brush but he didn't let it slow him down. He couldn't afford to piss around any longer; it was a damned waste of time bagging a deer if you didn't live long enough to even get a taste of it.

A few more yards and then a brief flash of red through the nearly blinding snow caught his eye. He huffed in relief and tugged harder on the sled, redoubling his efforts. A torn bit of crimson cloth snagged on a branch would probably be overlooked by a trespasser, but he'd tied the marker there a few weeks earlier in the event that he somehow lost his bearings and couldn't find his way home again. Chalk one up for being prepared.

The cabin finally loomed large before him and he stopped to take a few calming breaths before hoisting the deer over his shoulder and yanking open the warped door that led to the mudroom. The tiny space was freezing cold but it was bearable without the wind, and in this temperature it would do just fine as a game locker until he had a chance to do a proper job of butchering.

Daryl shrugged the heavy coat from his shoulders and toed off his boots, kicking everything to the side before slipping into the cabin and quickly closing the door behind him. He squinted against the sudden brightness from the lamps inside and his fingertips began to throb painfully as the warmth from the fireplace seeped in. Any discomfort he felt, though, vanished when he heard a squeal of happiness and the patter of tiny socked feet running across the wooden floor.

"Da-wo!" Judith squeaked, throwing her arms around his leg and squeezing as hard as a three-year old possibly could. She rested her chin on his knee and grinned up at him, her blue eyes wide and adoring. He liked to think he was pretty bad ass, but that look always turned him inside out.

"Heya, L'il Kicker," he said gruffly, reaching down and gathering her up. He snuggled his cold nose against her warm, baby-soft neck and she squealed again, squirming and trying get away. Instead of releasing her, he held her close with one hand and tickled her side, chuckling as she starting shrieking with delight.

"She just ate her supper," Carol chided as she emerged from the kitchen, smiling at Judith's antics as she wiped her hands on a towel. "You keep doing that, you're going to get a full-colour preview of what I've kept warm for you."

Daryl's eyes locked with Carol's and his smile faltered slightly. The weary relief in her eyes was nothing new but it pricked at his conscience all the same. If they didn't have Judith, he'd have taken her along on the hunt. He hated leaving Carol behind, especially when he knew some part of her always wondered if he would return. He always came for her, would never again walk away from her willingly, but the fact that he'd allowed himself to be led astray just that one time would forever haunt them.

Add to that what Rick had done, forcing her to leave the only family she had left...well, the best Daryl could do was make damned sure she was never alone again and hope that eventually she would be able to let go of that lingering fear.

"How's about you go play with your stuffies while I get somthin' to eat?" Daryl said to Judith, crouching down and setting the toddler back on her feet. "Stompin' around in the woods is hungry work."

The little girl locked her arms around his neck in a choking hug before she turned and ran off towards the corner where her few toys were stored, chattering happily to herself. Daryl stood and trailed after Carol as she returned to the kitchen, where she quickly busied herself by the old wood stove.

"I wish we could leave at least one window uncovered to light your way when the weather gets like this," she said with her back to him, heaping his tin plate with some kind of stew. Setting it aside, she grabbed a knife and a loaf of bread, and began to cut him a few slices to go with his meal. "I honestly don't know how you even got back tonight."

"I got my ways. B'sides, we lift those black-out panels and who knows what the hell else might find its way in here," he replied quietly, sidling up behind her and wrapping his arms around her waist.

She paused and leaned back against him with a sigh. "I know. I just hate it, waiting here and wondering, imagining that something awful might have gone down every time you're a little late coming back. And I feel like I should be with you out there. I never in a million years figured that after everything that's passed, I'd find myself a stay-at-home...caregiver...again."

Daryl nuzzled her ear and hugged her a little tighter when she carefully avoided the 'm' word. Carol had always insisted that Judith call them by their real names instead of 'mom' and 'dad,' telling him that it was disrespectful to the memories of Lori and Rick to let Judith believe a lie. He wasn't convinced of her reasoning, though. More than likely, it had a lot more to do with the fact that Carol just couldn't bear to hear anyone besides Sophia say _that_ word. Daryl respected her choice but hoped that maybe someday, Carol would relent. They _were_ Judith's parents now in every way that counted and the fact that he couldn't be 'daddy' to the little girl he loved so much made his chest ache a little bit.

"Maybe when Kicker's a little older, she could stay on her own for a few hours at a time. But if somethin' ever happened to both of us..." he whispered against her hair.

Carol laid down the knife so she could rest her hands lightly on top of his arms. "I know. It's a chance we can't take, I get that. I think it's just cabin fever talking, okay? I'm sorry, boo."

He'd heard it a hundred times, but when she called him 'boo,' something inside him felt lighter and he couldn't help but grin like a fool. "Tell ya what," he said, turning her around so she had to look at him while they talked. "If the storm's blown itself out by tomorrow, you can go check the snares, get some time to yerself. I'll stick close to home and watch over the kid; gotta cut up that deer I drug home anyhow."

Carol's expression softened and she gazed up at him, those pale blue eyes of hers shining like pieces of the summer sky. "I'd like that. It'll give me a chance to pick out a Christmas tree, too. Judith and I made some pinecone decorations yesterday after I read her, 'T'was the Night Before Christmas,' so she's pretty excited to get things set up for Santa."

It wasn't going to be the first Christmas the three of them spent together, but it was the first one they were spending in a place that was relatively safe and stable. Judith had been too young the year before to know the difference; that was just as well since they'd been too busy just trying to stay alive to even think about marking the holiday. "I hope like hell you don't think I'm gonna dress in red and prance around the place shakin' my jingle bells," he warned, drawing a soft laugh from Carol.

"No, I have her convinced that she has to be asleep before Santa can visit, so you're off the hook there. Not that I wouldn't appreciate having you show _me_ your North Pole," she said slyly, mischief making her eyes sparkle as she settled her hands on his chest. "Wanna meet me over by the fireplace after Judith's down for the night? You can tell me what you'd like to slip into my stocking..."

Blood rushed to his cheeks, making his face burn hot. Or maybe that was because blood was also rushing to other places, too. Simple teasing, he knew, and yet she was always able to push his buttons enough to get a reaction out of him. Instead of answering her, he cupped the nape of her neck and leaned down, brushing his lips lightly over hers before kissing her softly. She parted her lips with a moan and clutched the sides of his shirt, raising herself up on her tiptoes so she could slip her delicate little tongue, slick and hot, deep into his mouth.

Their surroundings seemed to disappear as he lost himself in the heat of her kiss. Hunger that had nothing to do with the food she'd prepared wound inside of him, and he gave a growl from low in his throat as need burst through him. Daryl clutched her ass and hauled her even closer, loving the taste, the feel, the ache, the burning desire she ignited in him.

He might have been tempted to sweep the dirty dishes off the table and have at Carol right then and there, but both of them heard the warning sound of toddler footfalls a moment before Judith reached the kitchen. They quickly broke apart and stumbled a few steps away from one another just as the little girl rounded the corner, a book clutched in her plump little hands and an excited grin on her face.

"Ca-wo! Santa book? Pwease?" she asked plaintively.

Carol laughed breathlessly, her hand pressed against her chest. Her cheeks were flushed a pretty pink and her lips swollen from their kiss. Daryl carefully kept his back to Judith, not wanting her to see the swelling the kiss had caused for _him_. "Okay, you go and get your blankie," Carol said, "and find a nice place beside the fire. I'll come read it to you once I've got Daryl's supper ready for him."

Judith jumped in place for a few happy seconds before rushing off again. Daryl groaned and collapsed on his chair, rubbing at his face in frustration while Carol giggled to herself. "You eat everything on that plate, you hear me?" she advised quietly, straightening out her sweater and patting her hair back into place. "You're going to need your strength in a few hours, _Santa_."

_Stay tuned for Chapter 2...fireside romance ahead!_


	2. Chapter 2

Turns out that it takes us a whole week to pull stuff together (darn that real life!), but your dedicated Warrior Bitches have another chapter just in time for **Deadless Sunday** (aka the mid-season hiatus). Hope you enjoy, and we shall see you back next Sunday for yet another installment. Same Dead time, same Dead Channel.

By the way, guess we should mention that there is sweet adult-type loving ahead...if that's not your thing or if God forbid, you DON'T ship Daryl and Carol, you need to go elsewhere.

Now...onto the romance!

* * *

**Chapter 2**

Carol smiled to herself as she tucked the thick down quilt under Judith's chin, musing at how toddlers only seemed to have two speeds – full ahead or complete stop. The little girl who had been running through the cabin and protesting so strongly only minutes earlier that she wasn't tired at all was now struggling to keep her eyes open.

"Wanna pway wif Da-wo!" Judith whined, sticking out her bottom lip until she was overcome with a yawn so big that Carol could see every one of the child's pearly teeth.

"You can play with him tomorrow," Carol replied calmly, sitting down on the edge of the bed and brushing the soft brown bangs from Judith's face. "The two of you will get to spend lots of time together. He's not going to go anywhere for a couple of days at least; he brought back a deer tonight that will last us for quite a while."

Judith's lids fluttered wide in alarm and her eyes began to shine with tears. "One of Santa's wane-deer?!" she whimpered, her bottom lip starting to quiver as she stared at Carol with a stricken expression on her young face.

"Oh, sweetie! No!" Carol exclaimed, biting back a laugh as she cupped Judith's chin in her hand. "Don't you worry about that. I promise Daryl would never, _ever_ hunt reindeer. He only hunts…," she paused, searching for a word, "_food_ deer."

"Food deer?" Judith asked dubiously, scanning Carol's face as though to judge her sincerity.

"That's right. They're deer made especially for eating." Carol said with as much authority as she could muster. "But if it will make you feel better, I'll hide Daryl's crossbow on Christmas Eve before Santa leaves the North Pole and then we can be sure he won't shoot one by mistake. How does that sound?"

Judith yawned again and rubbed her eyes with her small fist. "Okay," she said, finally convinced that Vixen, Blitzen and the others would be safe. "Cuz I don't wanna eat a wane-deer. Santa Cwaus would be mad."

Carol leaned over and kissed her downy cheek. "Well, we wouldn't want to do anything to upset Santa, especially since you've been such a good girl all year. Close your eyes, go to sleep and Christmas will be one day closer when you wake up."

With a drowsy sigh, Judith curled up on her side and snuggled her face into her pillow. "I wuv you, Ca-wo."

Tears welled unexpectedly and Carol had to take a moment to swallow the lump in her throat before she could answer. "I love you too, Kicker," she whispered. "We'll see you in the morning."

Turning her back on Judith, Carol wiped at her cheeks, annoyed that she'd let her guard down enough that the child's simple expression of love had touched her so deeply. She didn't cry anymore – she just _didn't_. When Rick had left her behind, she'd sworn to herself that no one would ever make her cry again. She had to be stronger than that if the three of them were going to survive. Moments like this with Judith were so achingly bittersweet, though, so coloured with past loss that it was often a struggle to hold back all that emotion.

Closing her eyes and taking a deep bracing breath, Carol finally stood and slipped over to the bureau. Stripping down quickly so she didn't lose too much body heat, she dared a fleeting look at herself in the tarnished mirror as she pulled open a drawer and tugged out her soft, worn flannel pyjamas. Hopefully the dim lamplight in the living room would successfully disguise the redness around her eyes and nose – the last thing she wanted was to spend the next few hours explaining what had got her upset.

It was _her_ turn to play with Daryl.

* * *

Carol came to a stunned halt on her way to the living room, nearly stumbling over her own feet when she saw Daryl in front of the hearth.

He sat cross-legged on a lush pile of coyote pelts that the cabin's previous owner had left behind, concentrating intently as he carefully whittled a tiny wooden animal for the farm set that 'Santa' was bringing Judith for Christmas. It wasn't what he was doing, however, that made her stole her breath away so much as the fact that he was wearing only his thermal underwear. Very _tight_ white thermal underwear, that is, that hugged his lean, muscular body in all the right places and left absolutely nothing to the imagination. And the best part of all was that he was completely unaware of how drop-dead sexy he was.

There was nothing different about what he was wearing now; she'd seen him with exactly what he had on (and less) hundreds of times. But everything about the scene – from the flickering amber light from the fire to the play of shadows across his features and yes, the tempting bulge between his legs – made her tummy flutter.

So far as she knew, Daryl had never given a thought one way or the other how he looked and had seemed oblivious to the lingering gazes that the women back at the prison gave him. It was more likely that he'd just never considered the fact that any woman _could_ see him in that light. He'd known that Carol cared about him but despite all her teasing and flirting, he hadn't really understood how she felt about him until they'd found one another again after the prison had fallen.

Love and desire caused her heart to pound when she remembered that night when he'd finally let down all those barriers and let her touch him, body and soul. He was her staunchest defender, the provider for their little family, her partner in the everyday struggle to survive and at the end of each day, her earnest lover. Not for the first time, Carol sent up a wordless prayer of thanks that Daryl Dixon was so much a part of her life.

Her happy sigh caught his attention and Daryl glanced up, giving her a crooked grin when their eyes met. "When I get this horse done, all I got left is the cows. None of the critters look much like the real things, though. She's gonna think Santa's elves got into the booze when they were makin' them."

"Don't say that. They're wonderful," she said, crossing the floor and settling down beside him on the furs. She took the horse figure from him and stroked its wooden muzzle. The carving wasn't intricate but he'd done a remarkable job of capturing the proportions and stance of the animal. "The barn, the tiny fences...she's going to love all of it, boo, you'll see."

Carol smothered a grin when Daryl's face coloured at her endearment, and she found herself helpless to resist the urge to reach out and brush his cheek with her fingertips. Instead of responding to the loving gesture, though, Daryl frowned and grabbed her hand with his.

"Christ, you're freezin'!" he said, quickly putting aside his project and reaching for her. Daryl pulled her into his lap and when she'd settled into the cradle of his crossed legs, she snuggled back against him and revelled in his warmth his hard body offered. He slipped his arms around her and enveloped her hands within his larger, rougher ones, wrapping himself around her protectively. "There. S'better?"

"Much better," she murmured. The woodsy smell of freshly shaven woodchips and pine sap filled the air around them but as she inhaled, it was Daryl's natural masculine scent that she detected beneath it all. It was comforting and arousing at the same time, and Carol let her head fall back slightly so she could nuzzle his throat and breathe it in even more deeply.

Daryl wove his fingers through hers and gently caressed her thumb with his, raising goosebumps on her arm that slowly spread over her body and left her trembling. Clearly thinking she was shivering because she was still cold, he tightened his arms and tucked his chin in between her neck and shoulder. Carol sighed contentedly, feeling utterly protected and cherished.

They quietly watched the flames dance in the hearth and listened to the firewood crack and pop, enjoying the relative calm that only descended on the small cabin when Judith finally succumbed to exhaustion. As the minutes slipped past and Daryl still remained silent, though, it occurred to Carol that he was off in a world of his own.

She lifted one of his hands to her lips and kissed his knuckles. "Whatcha thinking about?"

"'Bout the day me an' Kicker found you," he replied softly.

Carol squeezed his fingers, the memory as overwhelming as the moment itself had been. She'd stayed where Rick had left her, hoping desperately that the rest of her family at the prison would come looking for her, that others wouldn't be quite as ready to toss her to the side as their inconstant leader had been. And that day when she'd seen Daryl emerge from the tree line at the edge of town, she'd felt vindicated and unspeakably happy.

Joy and disbelief at being reunited had been quickly tempered, though, when she saw he had Judith in his arms and wrapped up protectively in his poncho, and she was hit by the shared grief at having lost so much. Regardless what had happened with Rick, those people had been their family; not knowing who had survived or where anyone who had escaped might have gone only added to the pain. Daryl had refused to even consider going back to look, though, when she'd suggested it. He'd told her that he had no intention of leaving her and the baby alone, and he sure as hell wasn't going to risk all of their lives by taking them back into an area overrun by walkers. In the end they'd decided that they had no choice but to move on and hope to find a safer place in which to raise Judith.

"Seems like a lifetime ago now," she said solemnly, thinking of how hard the group had fought to make a home for themselves only to have it all come crashing down around them when the Governor came to take it away. In retrospect, Carol understood that Rick may very well have saved her life by not allowing her to return with him. Or not, who knew? Maybe if she had been there, she could have done something to stop the whole situation from spiralling out of control. But there was no way of finding out and no use wondering – not anymore.

"I was gonna come for you that day I found out what Rick had done," Daryl went on, his voice rumbling in her ear. "B'fore the Governor showed up, I made Rick come an' talk to Tyreese. However that discussion had gone, though, whatever decision the two of them woulda made, I was leavin'. The only question was whether I was bringin' you back to the prison or if you an' me were gonna hafta head out on our own."

Carol's chest tightened and her eyes stung. "Why are you telling me this now?" she asked hoarsely, frustrated that she was on the verge of crying for the second time in one night.

"Cuz you need to know I wasn't there by accident," he said, releasing one of her hands and trailing his fingertips up and down the length of her arm, making her skin tingle pleasantly. "I wasn't goin' anywhere without you. I never will again. But even now when I come home from huntin' or makin' a run to the old resort for supplies, you look at me like you didn't really expect me back. I don't wanna see that anymore, understand? It kills me that you don't have faith in me after all this time, that you don't think that I love you s'much as you love me."

Her breath caught in her lungs to hear her insecurities lay bare so bluntly. She was shocked that she'd either been that transparent or that Daryl was just far better attuned to her emotions than she'd expected. "I _know_ you love me. And I know that you'd always try..." she began tentatively.

"No!" he interrupted sternly, cradling her chin with his thumb and forefinger, and tilting her head back so that she had no choice but to meet his intense blue gaze. "I won't just _try_. Might not be easy every time but I'll get to back you. Did it at the farm, found you in the tombs, an' tracked you down in that deserted fuckin' town where Rick ditched you. And yeah, I left with Merle but I came back then, too. I ain't got no life without you, Carol. Wouldn't want one."

Before she could even gather her thoughts, he lowered his head and gave her a slow, lazy kiss that stole any reply she might have given right out of her mouth. Heat flared within her as his lips gently moved over hers, and she slowly turned sideways in his lap so she could give his kiss all the attention it so richly deserved.

Daryl moaned as she slid her tongue past his teeth, and she took her time as she alternately teased and tasted every sweet spot she could find. He gently clutched the nape of her neck and buried his fingers in her hair as he opened his mouth wider to give her even better access, the intimate connection sending a burn through her that reached from head to toe.

As he spread his hand over her back and slowly lowered her to the soft bed of pelts, Carol broke off the kiss and pulled back so she could stare up into his face. His hair hung down and hid his eyes in shadow until she reached up and smoothed it back out of the way again.

"I thought I'd lost you when Rick sent me away," she admitted quietly, tracing the hard line of his jaw with her fingertips and smiling wistfully as the whiskers on his tickled her palm. "What we have now...it seems too good to be true. And I'm so afraid of having it all disappear one day."

"I need you to let that shit go, okay?" He took her hand from his face and brushed his lips across her fingertips, a touchingly simple gesture that went straight to her heart. His eyes shone like liquid sapphires beneath a brow knitted with concern. "You're the only one who never gave up on me. Can't stand havin' you doubt me now."

A surge of love erased all uncertainty and Carol leaned in to catch him with another tender kiss. "Never again," she whispered against his lips, "I swear."

Liberated by her promise, Daryl instantly took control, deepening his kiss and pressing her back into the nest of furs. Carol thrilled at the feel of his weight on top of hers, so hard and heavy and possessive. Any trace of a chill she might have felt quickly vanished as tendrils of fire moved leisurely through her and lit her up from within.

He wedged his hand in between them and sought out the buttons on her pyjama top, deftly flicking them open before sliding his fingers over the swell of her breast. She gasped into his mouth as he kneaded gently, her swollen nub rubbing against his rough palm with such delicious friction that she instinctively thrust her hips against his.

Carol felt him smile in what she suspected was satisfaction. "You liked that?" he asked as he moved on to her other breast and circled her aching nipple with the pad of his thumb until she writhed beneath him again.

"God, yes," she moaned, arching her neck as he planted a path of hot, wet kisses all the way to the base of her throat. She tugged up the hem of his top, desperate to get her hands underneath and on his smooth, bare skin.

"Tell me what else you want me to do," he urged, placing a kiss in the centre of her chest but going no further. His hair had fallen forward again and added its own silky caress with every move of his head.

"You already know what I like," Carol groaned impatiently. She speared her fingers through his hair to draw his mouth to her breast but he snagged her wrist and in a quick movement, had pinned both of her hands on either side of her head. Her heart pounded hard as he held her down, helpless and all the more aroused for it.

"Nuh-uh," Daryl scolded. "That's cheatin'. Don't want you to show me, I wanna hear you _say_ it." He ducked his head and nuzzled her breast playfully but stopped there, his breath hot and harsh on her damp skin.

Carol didn't much like this game but she did like having Daryl take the lead sometimes, and so in the end need won out over any reluctance. "I want you to kiss me...there."

"Like this, y'mean?" He closed his lips very loosely on one of her tender nipples and very lightly flicked his tongue over the rigid flesh. Carol's eyes rolled back in dizzying ecstasy and she hummed her approval as he tormented and teased it into a stiff peak. He gave it one last airy kiss before he moved onto the other side and repeated the action, each sweep of his tongue intensifying the hollow ache between her legs.

"Harder now," she gasped, her breath coming shorter and faster. "Suck on them harder...please..."

"That's my girl," he growled approvingly, sealing his mouth over her breast and doing exactly as she asked. Carol arched her back in response, white lights bursting behind her eyes as he took her deep into his mouth and suckled with enough force that she could feel throbbing, answering tugs all the way to her core. She had to bite her lip to keep from crying out; the last thing she wanted to do was to wake Judith and frighten her, but good God...had they been alone in the cabin, she would have screamed out her pleasure for the world to hear.

Just when she was sure she was going to lose control entirely, Daryl let her nipple slip from his mouth and his lips travelled down to her navel, the stubble of his unshaven chin scraping her skin along the way. "And now?" he asked, his voice rough with desire. "What do you want now?"

"Take off my pyjama bottoms," she rasped, wriggling out of her top too as soon as he let go of her hands to comply. The pelts felt absolutely decadent once she was completely naked, and she closed her eyes stretched her limbs out so she could take in as much of the luxurious sensation as possible against her skin.

Daryl made a choking sound and she opened her eyes to see him on his knees beside her, her pants clutched tightly in his hand and his erection protruding impressively from the crotch of his thermals. "Do you know what it fuckin' does to me, having you spread out like that?" he snarled, his eyes moving hungrily over every bare inch of her.

She arched an eyebrow and laughed lightly. "I can _see_ what it does to you. It's a shame I haven't asked you to do anything yet that might help relieve that painful swelling of yours, huh?"

He knew he was caught in his own game, and she almost laughed again as she watched his lips narrow in frustration. "Tell me what you want me to do next, then," he ground out, chucking her pj's into the corner and shifting uncomfortably.

Carol extended her arms to her sides and ruffled her fingers through the fur, pretending to consider her options. "Ok, I've decided. I want you to stand up and strip for me."

He shot to his feet before she finished her sentence and started yanking at his shirt. "No!" she admonished, stopping him before he could pull it up over his head. "You don't understand. I want you to strip...slowly, so I can enjoy it. Pull your shirt back down and start again, please."

"Carol..." he almost begged, managing to look both horrified and indignant at the same time. "Come on, you ain't gonna make me do this, are ya?"

"I'd begin with the buttons at the top," she suggested slyly, tucking her arms behind her head so she could get a better view. Doing so pushed her breasts up higher and Daryl swallowed hard as his eyes were irresistibly drawn to each rise and fall of her chest.

He shook his head but then grudgingly undid the short set of buttons on his thermal top. When he was done, it gaped open slightly and revealed a small segment of skin that cried out to be licked. Carol resisted however, not wanting to let Daryl off the hook he'd baited himself quite yet.

"Happy?" he chuffed, settling his hands on his hips and giving her a look that might have frightened her if she didn't know him so well.

"Getting there," she answered, running her hand over the soft swell of her tummy and skimming the sparse curls between her legs with her fingertips. "I think I'm going to need more than that, though, if I'm going to be _really_ happy."

She could have sworn she saw sweat break out on his lip before he nodded shrewdly, finally understanding that the intent of the game wasn't to embarrass him...that having him do as she asked really was a means to an end for both of them.

He lifted his shirt a couple of inches, giving her a peek before he decided turnabout was fair play and smoothed his hand the expanse of his beautifully toned abdomen. Carol sighed appreciatively as the shirt went higher and higher, the anticipation making blood race through her veins. When he finally pulled it off altogether, she moaned breathlessly at the sight of his sculpted arms and broad shoulders.

"You like what you see?" Daryl asked, letting the top fall to his feet as he dragged his fingers lightly across his chest. He paused briefly to caress a flat ruddy nipple, watching her closely as he did so.

"You know I do...I always have, even before you came to your senses and decided that you simply couldn't go on without me," she countered shakily, knowing he could see how the thought of what was to come was making her hands tremble.

He ignored the good natured jab, knowing that what she said was really too close to the truth to joke about. "Guess you're lookin' for more then, huh?" he said with bogus innocence, running his finger along the inside of his waistband but not making any further effort to remove his long underwear.

"Yes," she rasped, moisture coating the inside of her thighs as she waited, desperate to have him just as naked as she was. "Please..." Her eyes trailed over his gorgeous body and came to rest on the straining bulge that showed her just how aroused he was. She wanted him with such desperation in that moment that her mouth actually went dry.

It was almost as though he could read her mind. "You want it so bad, mebbe you should help me," Daryl suggested, his eyes half closed with lust as he reached down and cupped himself shamelessly through his underwear.

Carol rolled over onto her knees and slid closer to where he stood. "Your turn, then," she purred, looking at him from beneath her eyelashes as she rested her palms lightly against his legs. "Tell me what you want _me_ to do while I'm down here."

A fine tremor moved through his body then, letting her know that he wasn't as nearly as in control as he was trying to appear. She loved that she could do that to him, loved that he had only ever felt that way about her. "Pull off my pants," he rasped. "Strip me down like you wanted."

Hooking her fingers over his waistband, she slowly pulled them down over the curve of his ass, past his stiff, pulsing manhood – careful not to actually touch him there, not yet – and then down the swell of his thighs and calves. He lifted one foot and then the other as she pulled the underwear off completely and tossed them in some random direction.

"There you go," she said, forcing herself to keep her eyes on his face rather than on his long, thick shaft, curling upwards right in front of her face. No way she was going to make this any easier on him that he had on her. "Now what?"

He licked his lips and nodded. "I want you to kiss me...there..."

She grinned at hearing her own words echoed and knew exactly where he was going with their game. "Like this, you mean?" she asked, leaning forward and flicking her tongue over the swollen, purplish head of his cock.

The breath burst from his chest and he groaned, his eyes fluttering closed as he speared his fingers through her hair. "Yes...like that...Carol...fuck...!"

She edged closer and took him in hand, licking the musky essence that had welled up from his tip before carefully closing her lips around him. Ever so gently, she swirled her tongue around his engorged head, exploring and kissing and tormenting until he grew stiff as stone in her grasp.

"Ha...harder...now...please...suck harder," he growled, his fist tightening in her hair. The dull sting of pain heightened her own arousal, and the throbbing between her legs grew more insistent.

"That's my boy," she whispered hoarsely a second before she took his shiny, wet crown into her mouth again and slowly sucked him in deeper. Daryl cried out and lunged forward, a move that Carol tempered by placing her hand on his hip. He was a big guy and she needed to set the pace or risk choking on what he had to offer.

Wrapping her hand around the base of his member, she closed her eyes and lost herself in pleasing him. Sometimes her touch was feather light, sometimes it was firm and demanding, but she knew from the broken sounds of need he was making that he loved everything she was doing to him with her lips and tongue and fingers.

He was thrusting slowly now, mindful even in the midst of passion not to force himself too far. Carol slid her hand lower and cupped his full, fleshy sac and fondled him tenderly, and his rhythm faltered for a few seconds as the sensations wound through him.

She was so focused on what she was doing that she missed how close he was to coming. Suddenly Daryl's hands were on her shoulders and pushing her back down to the bed of furs, his breath coming in short sharp gasps.

"Enough...too much...almost...FUCK!" he growled, his eyes squeezed shut and his teeth bared as he fought for control. Carol kept perfectly still beneath him, not wanting to touch him until he was ready.

Then his eyes locked with hers again and his mouth was hovering just above her lips. "It's so easy with you," he murmured. "If I'd only known...all that fuckin' time I wasted..."

"I'm with you now," she said breathlessly, framing his face with her hands. "I'm ready for you now...so ready..."

Daryl nudged her knees apart and reached down between her legs, and she cried out as he searched through her slickness and heat. He slid one long, searching finger into her channel and she shuddered at the unreal pleasure of it. Then he added a second finger, stretching her wider. "You are...you're so damned wet, so soft...just for me."

"Only you," she panted and then she couldn't talk at all, because he'd sheathed himself inside of her in one quick, scorching thrust. Her body ached with the overwhelming feeling of fullness as he moved within her, and her thighs and knees clenched around his hips so make sure he didn't stop...don't stop...never stop...

His hand came up to her cheek and then he was kissing her hard, his tongue probing and entwining with hers as he pounded himself into her, their hips colliding and flesh slapping against flesh as desperate, primal urges replaced any sense of sweet, loving romance and flowery words.

"Carol...I...I can't..." he stammered. His hand slid down past her belly and he stroked her clit with his thumb, wanting to bring her with him as they both got closer and closer.

It hit her unexpectedly and with all the force of a raging storm. Carol's back arched up off of their bed, her orgasm streaming through her as though it would sweep her away completely and leave nothing behind in its wake. Daryl's face contorted as he surged into her for the last time, snarling out a deep unmistakable sound of male gratification.

The air around them almost seemed to crackle and buzz as they clung to one another in the unbelievable sweet afterglow, their surroundings gradually coming back into focus. Daryl had more or less pinned her to the heap of furs but she was far too relaxed and sated to even think about moving anyway. Instead, she spread her fingers over his sweat-soaked back and nuzzled at his temple, determined to make the most of every second they had to themselves.

Carol sighed contentedly and closed her eyes, stroking Daryl's damp hair while what was left of the fire sputtered. "Don't know 'bout you," he muttered, nestling his face against the cushion of her breast, "but I can't think of a single thing I could get for Christmas that would be any better than that."

Smiling knowingly, she kissed his forehead and wrapped her arms more tightly around him. "You just never know what Santa has planned."

* * *

_Well, well...I wonder if Daryl is on the Nice or Naughty list? We shall see..._


	3. Chapter 3

_We know! Another update and it's not even Sunday! Believe it or not, we were trying to get this done for Friday, December 20 but didn't quite make that deadline. Oh well, sometimes these things simply can't be rushed._

_Carol's Warrior Bitches would like to thank everyone who took the time to favourite/follow, but mostly those who have left us reviews! We really appreciate those, let me tell you – nothing inspires creativity like hearing that you like what we are writing for you. So thanks, you all rock!_

_For your reading pleasure today, we present a bit of a flashback...and of course, smut. Enjoy and thanks in advance for your kind reviews!_

**_And as always, Caryl the fuck on!_**

* * *

**Chapter 3**

_Going north had been the right choice. The herds of walkers had thinned once they crossed the border into Tennessee and they'd only seen a handful at most as they passed through some of the little resort communities around Gatlinburg. _

_Daryl had driven the 4x4 as far into the mountains as he could before night fell, with Judith staring intently at the scenery and Carol asleep beside her, her arm resting protectively over the baby's lap. Eventually he'd found a set of rental cabins that were free of both the living and dead, and the three of them hunkered down there just to catch their breath for a while. It had been a helluva day, to say the least._

_Carol had mocked up a cradle of sorts before walking the little girl around the cabin, soothing the child to sleep with hugs and soft words. As she set Judith down into the nest of blankets, Daryl got an ache in his heart that he thought would disappear once he found Carol again. Maybe the ache wasn't about her anymore, though. Maybe it came from all the good people who had died back at the prison, all for nothing. He wanted it to be like it had been earlier that summer before the flu hit them and when everyone was happy, well-fed and content. It seemed like such a fuckin' lie now, though, when he looked back on everything that had followed._

_"I'm gonna get a fire goin'," he said once Carol was done with the baby. "It'll get cold up here tonight. Pull them drapes shut, wouldya? Looked clear but we don't want any surprises."_

_Carol nodded grimly and as he stacked the kindling that had been thoughtfully piled beside the fireplace – must have been nice, stayin' in rustic cabins that were fully stocked by a staff of dozens – she tugged the heavy curtains closed. The smoke from the chimney might be an issue but walkers didn't seem much interested in the smell of stuff burning, so it was worth a risk._

_As he was still fanning the flames, Carol pulled a flashlight from her backpack and wandered over to the little kitchen area to start checking the cupboards. "There's all sorts of canned stuff in here, fancy gourmet foods," she said, plunking a few tins on the counter. "Bottled water in a little basket, teas and coffee. They must have brought in all this stuff from that resort we passed back at the turn; we'll have to head over there tomorrow, see if they have any diapers or powdered milk."_

_"We'll put up here as long as we can, fill the box of the truck with whatever's gonna be useful before we move on. We're still too close to the main road for my liking, I don't want to be here if someone else shows up."_

_"But what if it's someone from our group? Maybe we could leave a message or something before we leave, let them know where..."_

_"No!" he'd snapped, more harshly than he meant to. He sighed in frustration and rubbed at his eyes. "I'm sorry. But we can't take that chance, okay? I don't know who survived; might just be the same people who tried to blow holes in us with a tank. The prison...the rest of them...there's no going back for us. Not anymore. We're on our own now."_

_Carol had turned her attention back to the cupboards, silently sorting through whatever was stacked on the shelves. After a couple of minutes, she asked, "You think I did it, don't you? What I told Rick happened with Karen and David, I mean. That's why you don't want to leave any sign behind. In case they do catch up to us and..."_

_Anger surged and Daryl crossed the distance between them in a matter of seconds, startling Carol enough that she backed up a few steps. "No, I fuckin' DON'T! That's bullshit, pure and simple! If Rick or any of the rest of them knew anything, if they knew you like..."_

_He stopped but Carol finished for him. "Like __**you**__ know me?" she said quietly._

_"Yeah," he replied, resting his hands flat on the countertop and glancing away uneasily. "Like that."_

_Carol pulled open a few drawers and found a handheld can opener. "I'm relieved and grateful that you don't believe I'm capable of cold blooded murder. But you don't know me, Daryl...not really."_

_His head snapped up and he narrowed his eyes at her, more hurt than pissed off. "What the hell are you talkin' about? It's been almost two years! What the fuck don't I know?"_

_She smiled ruefully to herself as she finished opening a tin of some kind of fancy meat. "Well, did you have any idea at all that for at least one and a half of those years, I've loved you madly?"_

_His heart jumped and panic set in. Trying to disguise his reaction, he chuffed and walked away from her, chewing at his thumbnail. "Yeah, like you loved everyone we were with. Hershel and Maggie and Carl...and yeah. Everyone."_

_"No. Not like a person loves their family or friends. It's not the same."_

_Suddenly, the cabin felt very small and inexplicably crowded. If they'd still been back at the prison or even the farm, Daryl would have taken himself for a long walk and tried to figure out what to say or do that wouldn't make him look like a total idiot. That wasn't an option now, though. There was no escape and he had no choice but to see this conversation to its inevitable end._

_"You don't mean that," he finally blurted, striding back towards the fireplace and stacking another couple of logs on the fire. "It...it ain't like that for us."_

_Carol left the kitchen and came over to where he was squatted in front of the hearth. "I love you like a woman loves a man. It's __**exactly**__ like that...or at least it is for me," she said softly, crouching down beside him. "I'm not asking you to love me back or to give me something that you don't feel you have in you to give. But if you didn't know that I felt like that all this time, then you can't really say you know me at all."_

_While Daryl struggled to find the right words, Carol sighed again and stood up. A horrible hollow feeling developed right in the middle of his chest and he knew with sudden certainty that if he let her just walk away from him after telling him what she had, Carol would be lost to him forever. There weren't going to be any more chances. _

_As she turned, he reached out and grabbed her wrist. "Wait," he whispered, his voice deep and raspy. "Just...wait, would you..?."_

_She half-heartedly tried to pull away but stopped when it became apparent that he wasn't going to release her. "I needed you to know. I'm sorry if it's ruined things between us but it's been hard keeping it to myself for this long."_

_Daryl sucked in a deep, bracing breath. "I can't...I can't lose you now. It's been the only..."_

_"You're not losing me," she interrupted, twisting her hand so that she could grasp his fingers and squeeze them reassuringly. "We can still be...close. This isn't the end of our friendship. Maybe I shouldn't have said anything..."_

_"Stop...just listen for a minute, okay?" He stood up on shaky legs and finally brought his eyes up to meet hers. Her beautiful, pale blue eyes, always filled with kindness and affection when she looked at him. _

_His throat felt sort of thick and his heart was racing so fast that he felt like he might hurl, but he pushed on anyway. "I didn't know you felt like that, but...but I always __**wished**__ you did. I just...I can't see why...someone like you...GODDAMN IT!"_

_"Someone like me?" she asked tentatively._

_At that point, the words just burst out of him. "I've felt that same way 'bout you since back at the farm. But I couldn't...I'm not meant for someone like you, Carol, I know that. But when you tease me like you do, or call me out on my crap or even...just even fuckin' smile at me, that smile you don't give anyone else...I pretend that I am that kind of guy. The kind of guy you __**could**__ feel that way 'bout."_

_And then there was hope on her face and those lovely eyes of hers went kind of shiny in the firelight. "Please don't be saying all this because of what I told you...unless you truly feel this way, just don't."_

_"You deserve someone better than me, but I want you anyway," he said, shrugging his shoulders helplessly. He glanced at her from beneath his bangs, almost afraid that he might have convinced her that she couldn't possibly love him. "Thought if ever told you that, you'd pull away for good. Couldn't take a chance like that."_

_She was pressing her hand against the chest the way she did when she was overwhelmed or emotional, and she was giving him the smile he'd just told her about – the one he'd never see her give another human being. "Would you let me kiss you now? It's been a very long wait and...and I just really need to kiss you."_

_He nodded awkwardly and let go of her, wiping his palms nervously on his pants. Carol set her hands on his chest and he was sure that his heart would beat right out of his body. Then she was pressing up against him and the air got stuck in his lungs as her mouth hovered just above his. "I love you, Daryl," she breathed against his lips and then she was kissing him._

_A wave of fire swept through him and shook him to his core. She tasted like wildflower honey, and the softness of her lips against his felt like butterfly wings, but the effects of the kiss hit him hard. Every nerve ending in his body quivered with awareness and then his arms were wrapping around her, afraid that if he didn't hold her tight, she might stop what she was doing to him and...Christ, he never wanted her to stop..._

Daryl came awake suddenly with his heart thudding in his chest, and his dick as hard and heavy as stone. He had no idea how long he'd been asleep but the silence from Kicker's room told him that it was still a long ways from morning – the kid was incapable of sleeping past the first ray of daylight, even with the windows all blacked out.

He was spooning Carol in their bed, his arm wrapped around her waist and his leg trapped between both of hers. It was the same way they'd slept every night since that first time together; he had to be holding her when he fell asleep and when he woke up, needed that closeness every bit as much as he needed to breathe.

The memory of the night the two of them had finally confessed how they truly felt about one another never failed to get him worked up, and dreaming about it as he just had was a sure guarantee that he was going to wake up with a painful case of morning wood. It didn't help matters either that his throbbing cock was at this very moment pressed insistently against the sweet round swell of Carol's bare ass.

He knew he should let her sleep – they both put in long days and she needed her rest – but the dream left him wanting her so badly that he just couldn't stand it. Daryl leaned in close and nuzzled her neck, catching his own scent on her warm skin and growling in purely male satisfaction. He trailed his lips all the way down to her shoulder but when the pattern of her breathing didn't even falter, he knew he'd have to be less subtle.

"Wake up, girl...I need you," he mumbled against her ear, sucking her earlobe in between his teeth and nipping playfully. At the same time, he slid his hand up over her ribs and cupped her breast, gently circling her soft nipple until the flesh beaded under his thumb and she began to stir.

"What's going...oh, Daryl, stop. I'm still tired..." she mumbled, wearily pushing his hand away and burying her face deeper into her pillow.

He shifted his hips against her ass, making sure that she knew in no uncertain terms that he wasn't going to be put off quite so easily. "You wouldn't leave me suffering like this, would you?" he teased, kissing her shoulder lightly. "That'd be pretty heartless...I heard a guy could _die_ if he doesn't get any relief when he's in this condition."

Carol giggled sleepily. "Well, I'd hate to have that on my conscience. But honestly, boo, I have no energy left after what we already did tonight..."

"You leave it to me...I'll do all the work, you just lay back and enjoy," he said, cradling her chin in his hand and turning her head so he could kiss her.

When their lips met, she moaned faintly and he tangled his tongue with hers in a slow, sensual dance. As she melted against him, he slipped his fingers down over her belly and towards the crux of her thighs in search of her moist heat. Gently as he could, he coaxed her open with his fingers and she draped her leg over his thigh, giving him unspoken consent to do as he wished.

Daryl took his time, knowing that in these wee, dark hours of the morning, she needed tender, unhurried loving more than she needed a repeat of his earlier enthusiastic performance. He slowly slid his cock in the gap between her legs and let it rest against her slit while he caressed the swollen, fleshy petals of her pussy. It didn't take long before she was thrusting against his hand and making soft, needy sounds deep in her throat.

He pulled her knee back a bit and spread her wider a moment before he took his member in hand and pushed into her one leisurely inch at a time. When he'd sunk himself to the hilt inside her slick, velvet grip, he went still for a few moments, trembling as he tried to fight the almost irrepressible urge to take her hard and fast. Instead, he withdrew almost all the way out before plunging back in, prolonging the pleasure and making Carol gasp against his lips at the intensity of their joining.

There was no light with which to see one another but that was okay, because then there was only sensation and taste and sound, and it was far more arousing than he could have imagined. He slid his hand back over her hip and found her clit, a hard and pulsing little nub of flesh that told him that she was every bit as excited as he was despite the lazy pace he'd set. He grazed it with his thumb, rubbing in very light little circles as he continued to ease himself in and out of her with deliberate, drawn-out strokes.

Carol's groans grew louder and she broke off their kiss, gasping for air in hot little puffs that bathed his face. "Daryl...God..!" she cried with such desperation that his restraint finally snapped. Hooking his arm under her thigh, he drove himself into her hard and could almost instantly feel the walls of her pussy grasping at him, fluttering around his shaft and gripping the head of his cock. He dropped his head against her shoulder and snarled, fighting to hold back even as the pressure rose and he felt his control slipping.

When his climax hit, he couldn't do much more than cling to Carol and let it rip through him, the unbelievable pleasure of his release completely robbing him of his senses. She was all there was in the world, the only thing that kept him sane and breathing and alive, and buried deep inside her was where he wanted to stay forever.

He could feel little tremors moving through her arms and legs, and he smiled to himself as he drew her tight against him so they were touching for the complete length of their bodies. When it was really good between them...amazingly good, like this had been...she would shiver like this afterwards, like the earth would continue to shake after an earthquake. It fed his ego but more than that, it made him indescribably happy that it was _him_ that made her feel that way.

"You glad I woke you up for that?" he murmured as he tucked his chin against the crook of her neck. "Or do you wish I'd just let you be?"

Carol laughed softly and wriggled back against him. "And have you put your very life at risk? You know I love you far too much to let you take a chance like that."

He sighed and then grew serious. "I do love you...you know that, right?" he asked, letting his fingers skim the length of her thigh.

"I know," she answered quietly, covering his hand with hers. "You know you have my whole heart, too, don't you?"

He leaned his head against her shoulder and nodded. After a while, Carol's breathing evened out again but he lay awake, not wanting to let the moment go until the morning dawned and they had no choice but to start another day.

* * *

_On to sweet and lemony goodness next chapter...stay tuned!_


	4. Chapter 4

Here it is, our gift to you just in time for Christmas 2013! The final chapter in our lovely little Caryl tale. Hope you had as good a time reading it as we did in writing it, and that maybe the feels will sustain you until February 2014 when the show returns to air (and Carol & Daryl find one another for real – _right, Kirkman?)_.

Profuse thanks go out from all of Carol's Warrior Bitches – Laurie, Kelly, Vicki and Megan – to those who took a few minutes to leave us a review, it made all the work more than worth it!

A shout-out to the Caryl Posse, our devoted friends at Twitter who faithfully sail the ship every day! Thanks, all, for your encouragement and support. Long live Caryl!

* * *

**Chapter 4**

When Carol had been a youngster, she'd loved the novel, "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe." Her teacher had read the book over the course of a few months to the students in her Grade 4 class, and the words had left impressions in Carol's head of a fairytale realm full of fantastical woodland creatures and amazingly beautiful scenery.

As she closed the door of the cabin behind her, she almost felt like she'd crossed through the wardrobe and stepped into Narnia. The sun shone brightly on the new snow, glinting off the powdery surface like millions of diamonds. The trees were coated with hoar frost that made them look like they'd been encrusted with coarse, sparkling sugar, and the air was so cool and clean that it almost seemed like the world had been reborn. Carol breathed deeply, soaking in the purity and beauty of the scene.

She adored Judith but with a toddler in the house, silence was a rare commodity. Alone in the woods, Carol could feel herself gradually relaxing as she walked. After two days of relentless storms, getting out on her own was exactly what she needed. And it was good that Daryl had some time alone with Judith – the bond that had been forged between the two of them when Judith was still a baby grew stronger every day.

If Sophia had lived, Carol wanted to believe that Daryl would have come to care for her daughter every bit as much as he had their L'il Kicker. But that hadn't been the universe's plan for Sophia; for reasons beyond Carol's understanding, twelve years was all her daughter had been given.

There had been a point in her life that Carol was certain she'd never come to terms with losing her child. As much as she'd wanted her back, though, Carol had gradually come to accept that wishing would never make it so and that at least now, Sophia was beyond the fear and pain that had marked her final moments.

She tilted her head back and stared at the blue, cloudless sky, imagining her daughter in heaven and at peace. It had taken years but the time had come to let Sophia go. Memories would always keep part of her baby close to her but life was for the living, and Carol had to devote her love and energy towards those she still had with her.

It really was a new world, she decided, gazing around at the pristine landscape. Carol started off towards the trap line, the crunch of the snow beneath her feet the only sound breaking the silence of the forest.

* * *

Returning a few hours later, Carol heard the faint sound of childish laughter echoing through the trees and paused before she stepped out of the bush and into the clearing outside the cabin. Daryl and Judith had built a snowman, and he was holding the little girl in his arms while she reached out to put an old ball cap on its head. Leaning against a tree and watching the two together, Carol couldn't help but smile at the pride and happiness on Daryl's face. He was living the childhood he'd never had through Judith's eyes, giving her all the love and attention that he hadn't received from his own dysfunctional family.

Judith was clapping her mitted hands together when Daryl spotted Carol, and the bashful grin he gave her made her love him just that much more. "That's a pretty nice snowman," she called out, shielding her eyes as she stepped from the shadows of the woods and back into the sunlight. "Santa's going to know exactly where to land his sleigh when he sees that."

"How'd we make out?" Daryl said, carrying Judith with him as he walked towards her, meeting her halfway.

Carol tugged the sack from her shoulder and held it out triumphantly. "We got two rabbits...and best of all, a wild turkey! I could hardly believe our luck; it looks like we'll have a real Christmas dinner tomorrow after all."

"We're set for a coupla weeks anyhow." He passed Judith over to Carol and took the bagged game from her. "I'll get these cleaned up – y'all go back inside and get warmed up."

"Sounds good to me. There's something we need to work on inside anyway – don't we, Kicker?" Carol said conspiratorially to Judith, holding her finger to her lips and winking at Daryl.

Judith's eyes widened with excitement. "It's a secwet!" she whispered loudly, giggling when Daryl gave her a wildly exaggerated glare.

"Well, fine then. Off with y'all two clucking hens!" he huffed in mock annoyance. "I got manly things of my own to do."

He was turning away when Carol grabbed his sleeve and made him stop in his tracks. Daryl looked at her questioningly just as she grabbed his lapel with her gloved hand and pulled him down for a soft, lingering kiss. Determined to be part of the moment, Judith threw her arms around both of their necks and hugged them tightly, making both adults chuckle and then pull away from one another. Carol gave him one last loving look before taking Judith back into the cabin so they could work on their surprise together.

* * *

Carol had bundled up and slipped out of bed long before either Daryl or Judith were even stirring, firing up the wood stove in the kitchen so that the turkey would be ready in time for an early supper. Once the oven was hot enough and she had the bird roasting and some coffee brewing, she padded over to the living room and threw some fuel onto the glowing embers in the hearth so that the room would be comfortable when the other two woke up.

Dragging a couple of the coyote pelts out in front of the fireplace, Carol planted herself on the furs and admired the decorations on both the tree and around the room that she and Judith had crafted together. Nothing fancy, to be sure, but all in all, a little bit of red yarn and handfuls of pinecones went a long way, and the smell of the spruce spread through the cabin as the branches draped along the mantle started to get warm.

She slid a little closer to the tree and took another peek at the finished farm set Daryl had carved. He'd done an amazing job and although he was giving all the credit to Santa Claus, she knew there would come a day when Judith would be told exactly who had made the toy and how much love had gone into it. She was almost as excited for Judith to see it as she figured the child would be to receive it.

There were two wrapped packages under the tree, too, both of them unlabelled. One was the gift that Carol and Judith had worked on together for Daryl, but there was also one wrapped in a bit of silky material that she'd not seen when she'd gone to bed the night before. She peered at it curiously but before she could pick it up to investigate further, she heard a high pitched squeal from Judith's room, and an almost simultaneous groan of exhaustion from the room where she and Daryl slept.

"Chwistmas! It's CHWISTMAS! Did Santa come!?" Judith practically shrieked as she ran into the room. Carol jumped up off of the furs and rushed towards her, catching the toddler in her arms before she could see what was under the tree.

"No, no, no!" Carol scolded laughingly, hugging the squirming bundle of little girl close. "We talked about this last night, remember? Everyone has to be together beside the tree before there are any presents. Someone's still missing."

Judith scowled mightily as Carol set her down and pointed her in the opposite direction. The girl took off as quickly as her little legs could carry her, and Carol bit back her a giggle as Daryl made a sound she could only imagine was the result of someone jumping on him where he lay. As Judith attempted to coax Daryl out from beneath the covers, Carol strolled back to the kitchen and poured them each a cup of coffee to take the chill off the very early morning.

Daryl finally stumbled out of the bedroom, his hair ruffled and flat on one side as he rubbed at his eyes and clutched the blanket around his bare shoulders. Thank goodness, Carol thought, she'd had the good sense to make wear his long johns to bed the night before, predicting that he might get exactly the sort of wake-up call that he did. Judith was propelling him forward, pushing at the back of his legs with a determined look on her face. "Told ya we shoulda given her some of that spiced rum last night," he groused, gratefully accepting the steaming mug Carol held out towards him.

"It'll all be worth it, I promise," she murmured, kissing him lightly on the cheek and smoothing his hair down before looking down at the impatient child shoving at him. "And you – yes, you, young lady. We're all together now, so you can go ahead and see what Santa left you under the tree."

Judith screamed with delight and ran over, spotting the little farm set instantly. "Look! LOOK! It's animals! An' a barn! I gonna pway...horsy! Piggy! Look!" She grabbed up as many animals as she could in her small hands and pranced in an ecstatic little circle beside her new toy.

Carol snuck a glance at Daryl and caught him glowing with happiness at Judith's reaction. "Told you," she whispered, nudging him with her elbow. "Santa done good."

Daryl grabbed her hand and kissed her knuckles, all traces of exhaustion erased. "Come on. I gotcha something, too. You know, since you were too naughty this year to earn a present from St. Nick."

"Didn't hear you complaining about my naughtiness the last couple of nights," she teased playfully as he led her over to the fireplace.

He leered at her as he crouched down beside the tree to retrieve the present wrapped in silk. "Well, Santa an' me, guess we got different standards." Daryl waited until she'd knelt beside him and tucked her legs underneath her before he handed the gift to her.

She carefully untied the short length of ribbon that held the makeshift bag closed while Daryl watched her intently and bit at his thumbnail like he did when he was nervous about something. As the edges of the material fell away, Carol's heart just about stopped in her chest.

It was a small black velvet box. Exactly the kind of box that usually held...

"Back at that fancy resort, they got a jewelry store," Daryl said quietly, cutting into her thoughts. "That's why I was so late gettin' back with that buck the other day. Took me forever to find somethin' that I figured you might like. I know we can't do a real weddin' or anythin', but I wanted you to have this...to have somethin' that makes what we got official."

Carol took in a deep, shaky breath and opened the box. Inside was a ring, a simple silver setting that had a milky, sky-blue stone set in the middle."Oh, Daryl...it's...it's beautiful!" she said, her voice wavering with emotion.

He plucked the ring out of the stiff velvet folds and held it up. "The sign said it was _larimar_. I don't know if it got any sort of meaning like some stones do, but it was the same colour as your eyes, so I thought that made it special 'nuff."

"You picked it out for me," she whispered huskily. "That's what makes it special."

She held out a trembling hand but just before he slipped the ring on her, he glanced up at her with a glint of mischief in his eyes. "You ain't gonna cry, are you?"

In fact, Carol thought she was going to do exactly that up until he asked her. Which was probably exactly why he'd done so, knowing how determined she was not to give in to tears "No," she said, her cheeks warming as he slid the ring down the length of her finger. "But I am going to kiss you."

The corner of his mouth twitched with a grin. "I could go for that." He reached his hand out and slipped it around the nape of her neck, pulling her close. The kiss was chaste compared to what she might have given him if they'd been alone, but she poured every bit of love she had in her heart into the tender brush of her lips against his.

"I have to tell you," she said when they reluctantly drew apart, her fingers lingering on his jaw, "that this is almost as good as what I have to give _you_ for Christmas. Almost."

The look of anticipation on his face just about broke her heart, and it occurred to her that Daryl had probably never been given a real Christmas present in his life. She covered his hand affectionately with hers and looked over at where Judith was completely immersed in the miniature farm world that Daryl had built for her. "Kicker, can you bring the present that we worked on together over here now? It's time."

Judith's eyes lit up and she scrambled over Daryl's legs to get her hands on the only gift left under the tree. It was wrapped in brown paper that Judith had decorated with what she'd assured Carol were reindeer but in fact looked like a series of random brown and red scribbles. Package in hand, she plopped herself down in Carol's lap and held it out towards Daryl with an ear-to-ear grin on her face.

"Go on," Carol said, cinching her arms around Judith and hugging her while she tried to keep the nerves in her stomach from getting the best of her. Daryl took it and carefully unwrapped it, slowly as though trying to prolong the experience. When he tossed the paper to the side, his brow knitted in both bewilderment and valiantly concealed disappointment at the homemade pinecone ornament in his hands.

"It's an angel!" Judith exclaimed joyfully. "See? He has wings, just wike you!"

Daryl gave her an indulgent smile, but Carol could see that he had been expecting something more after what she'd told him. "I see that, Kicker...it's real nice," he said softly, fingering the little wings they'd fashioned out of wire and gauze.

"Mama said it's cuz you're OUR angel...that's how come we made it," Judith said quizzically, clearly concerned that he hadn't been as happy about his present as she thought he should be.

"Looks like you worked real hard on..." he started before trailing off. His head snapped up and he locked gazes with Carol. "Wait...what did you say?"

"You need to read the tag, Daryl," Carol said quietly. "Please."

He looked more carefully at the angel ornament, following the loop of red yard back to the little bit of paper tied to the end. As he read it, Carol saw him swallow hard a few times and blink rapidly before he looked into her eyes again, clearly not believing what was written in a very wobbly young hand.

"You ain't gonna cry, are you?" Carol teased gently, and he chuffed out a rather choked-up laugh before shaking his head. She bent over and whispered in Judith's ear, "Sweetie, you were supposed to say something when you gave that present, remember?"

Judith gasped as she realized she'd forgotten that part of the plan and squirmed out of Carol's lap. She took a step towards Daryl and put her hands on either side of his face. "Mewwy Chwistmas, _Daddy_. That's what I'm supposed to call you now...cuz you and Ca-wo...Mama...are my pawents, just wike the mama and papa in the Santa book. And you'll wuv me fowever."

Tears glistened on his lashes but Daryl didn't bother even trying to hide it as he tugged Judith close and hugged her tightly. "Forever, L'il Kicker. Your daddy ain't ever gonna let anythin' bad happen to you, I swear it."

After a few seconds, Judith started to squirm out of his arms. "I wanna pway farm! Wet me go, Daddy!"

He released her and she scampered off, completely unaware of how profoundly touching the moment had been for both of the adults in her life. Taking a deep breath and wiping at his eyes, Daryl stared down at the angel in his hands. "Thank you," he rasped, tracing the letters on the little piece of paper with his fingernail. "I can't...I know it wasn't an easy thing for you, crossin' that line. It means...I don't know if...yeah. You were right, this was _way_ better than what I gave you."

Carol's heart felt so full that she was afraid it was going to burst open. "No, boo. What you gave me is every bit as wonderful, believe me!" she said, scooting closer and resting her forehead against his. "We needed this. It was time for all of us. What Judith said, it's true – you're our angel. _My_ angel. Have been almost since the moment we met. I don't ever want you to forget how much we love you...how much _I _ love you."

Daryl wove his fingers through hers and lifted up her hand to look at the ring he'd given her. "Still not sure I deserve any of it, but I'm so goddamned glad that you'll have me. No one ever cared 'bout me like you do."

She kissed him softly but thoroughly in reply, deciding that words simply couldn't do justice to how she felt about this amazing man. Later on, once the day was done and Judith tucked back into her own bed, she would show him exactly how much he meant to her and in a way that would leave no question in his mind.

_The End_


End file.
